SoapWire | Newswire for the Natural Personal Care Products Industry

The Botanical Elements Trade Association Launches New Online Bulletin Board

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GLASTONBURY, CT - June 25, 2004 /SoapWire/ -- The Botanical Elements Trade Association, www.botanicalelements.com is pleased to announce the launch of their new Online Bulletin Board named the Botanical Bulletin Board.

The Botanical Bulletin Board web site is located at www.botanical.ws and features four main Forums; Aromatherapy & Herbs, Home Environment, Soap & Skin Care, and Extra, Extra, Read All About It! with news and links of importance to the community of both botanical product manufacturers as well as consumers.

The Botanical Bulletin Board also has an exclusive Members Only area, accessible only to members of the Botanical Elements Trade Association.

Contact:

Botanical Elements Trade Association TM
PO Box 875
Glastonbury, CT 06033
www.botanicalelements.com

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OTA Praises USDA Secretary For Taking Gigantic Step To Save Organic Standards

For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Holly Givens, 413-774-7511, Ext. 18
(after 5:30 EST: 413-834-2758)

Greenfield, MA (May 26, 2004) - The Organic Trade Association today praised U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman for rescinding recent Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) moves that had undermined the whole process of developing and establishing national organic standards.

"By rescinding recent National Organic Program 'clarifications' and directing the agency to work with the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) and the organic industry, Secretary Veneman has taken a gigantic step toward reestablishing the public-private trust that went into developing U.S. national organic standards in the first place," said Katherine DiMatteo, OTA's executive director.

In a closing statement at a press conference today, Secretary Veneman announced she had directed AMS to rescind its recent statement of clarification and to work with NOSB and the organic industry to reach the best solutions to issues that have been raised in implementing national organic standards. Claiming the agency "had acted in good faith," Secretary Veneman, however, said that she was taking this action because of recent outcry by the organic community, particularly in the press, that the process for formulating organic standards had broken down. In support of the organic industry, Senator Patrick Leahy rallied members of Congress to express their concern as well.

In fact, OTA last week had written a letter to Secretary Veneman requesting that she review recent actions of USDA's National Organic Program and issue a statement on the matter. OTA had asked Secretary Veneman to give assurances that changes would be made to bolster industry confidence in NOP's work. OTA and others within the industry, including NOSB members, had decried that recent action taken by NOP had, in effect, been major rule changes, setting dangerous precedent, and had shown disregard for the needs of organic farmers, processors and, ultimately, consumers who would be most affected by the agency's arbitrary changes in the nation's organic regulations.

"Allowing NOP to create and implement new directives 'at will' without open dialogue with stakeholders was creating confusion for businesses and consumers alike," said DiMatteo, adding, "By her announcement today, Secretary Veneman has taken a giant step forward. We are eager to work with NOP in this process, and trust that together the right decisions can be made for the good of organic farmers and producers and consumers of organic products."

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the business association representing the organic agriculture industry in North America. Its over 1,400 members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers' associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others.

Headquarters: 60 Wells Street, P.O. Box 547, Greenfield, MA 01302 USA ( (413) 774-7511 Fax: (413) 774-6432 ( e-mail: info@ota.com ( web site: www.ota.com Legislative Office: 600 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22304 USA ( (202) 338-2900

BETA Members Donate To Charity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Glastonbury, CT (May 25, 2004) /SoapWire/ -- In January the Botanical Elements Trade Association announced that whenever a Member business makes a donation of products or "profits" to a charity, they'll send BETA an email or letter with the amount of their donation and the name of the charity.

BETA keeps a running total for all of 2004 -- and as Member Donation Totals increase -- this is indicated on the BETA "Charity Donation Thermometer" graphic on the Press Releases web page.

The Botanical Elements Trade Association is proud to announce that Member donations to charity exceed $1,500 as of May 2004.

The Goal for 2004 $10,000 in Member donations.

BETA will also publish the entire list of recipients on the web site in six months, and again at the end of the year.

And here's more...

BETA will also be continuing to feature their rotating Members' "Mini-Press Releases" so that every participating Member gets a chance to have their "Mini-Press Releases" be at the top of the page.

Botanical Elements Trade Association tm
P.O. Box 875
Glastonbury, CT 06033
www.botanicalelements.com

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(CCTFA) Cosmetic Ingredient Labeling Consultation; Ottawa, Canada May 6

The Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrance Association (CCTFA) has been working with Health Canada officials since 1996 to develop and implement mandatory ingredient labeling for cosmetics and personal care products in Canada. With the regulatory amendment published in the Canada Gazette Part I on March 27th, the definitive rules for ingredient labeling in Canada are now one-step closer to becoming law. As part of the regulatory process, and in order to expedite passage to final regulation, CCTFA is providing a forum on this key industry issue, within the 75-day comment period.

Join CCTFA members, Health Canada officials and other interested parties for this one-day session on the proposed cosmetic ingredient labelling regulations. Health Canada will also be looking for feedback and will be available to answer questions in a Q&A panel at the end of the session. This will be the LAST chance to provide comments on the long-awaited amendment to Health Canada, and member comments will form the basis of CCTFA's written response. THIS IS ONE SESSION YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS!

All cosmetic manufacturers, distributors, importers and marketers will need to know about these important changes, and why industry, government, consumers and health professionals have been highly supportive to date.

Cosmetic Ingredient Labelling Consultation
Thursday, May 6, 2004, 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa
1 Rideau Street, MacDonald Room
613-241-1414

Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrance Association
http://www.cctfa.ca/

Organic Consumers Association; Coming Clean Campaign Changed Industry Attitudes

Organic Trade Association Task Force Rejects Counting Ordinary Water as Organic in Body Care Products

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Craig Minowa 320-384-7764
Craig@OrganicConsumers.org
Adam Eidinger 202-744-2671
Adam@Mintwood.com

ANAHEIM, CA – One year after the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) launched the Coming Clean Campaign to establish strong labeling standards for “organic” cosmetics, the Organic Trade Association’s Personal Care Task Force (PCTF) rejected a scheme of counting ordinary water as “organic” in body care products. In a 13 to 2 vote on Saturday at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, the task force of natural body care companies condemned the practice of counting as “organic” water added during the steaming of botanicals to make hydrosol water extracts. The task force subsequently voted 10 to 5 to not count any amount of hydrosol water extracts as organic until the minority percentage of water from plant material versus added from steam can be determined.

“The rejection of the organic water scheme by natural body care companies is a result of vocal consumer demands for meaningful organic standards on cosmetics products,” says Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s Executive Director. “By addressing the hydrosol water extract fraud, the OTA and leading natural body care companies are heading in the right direction as they continue to hammer out recommendations to the USDA for organic label standards on personal care products,” Cummins said.

The immediate cause for this definitive statement from the OTA’s PCTF was the recent Rutgers University study sponsored by the OCA which rigorously demonstrated that even with very conservative assumptions, a high-quality hydrosol water extract is composed mostly of water from steam. OCA’s Complaint to the USDA’s National Organic Program exposing regulatory violations as well as general consumer pressure were also key. Representatives of companies that count ordinary water in hydrosol water extracts as “organic” attended the PCTF meeting as well as companies that joined the OCA’s Complaint to the USDA.

USDA must respond to the OCA Complaint filed against Bayliss Ranch’s hydrosol water extracts by May 19 of this year. The organic water scheme enables Bayliss Ranch’s customers--manufacturers of body care and food products for consumers--to make fraudulent claims that their products are “70% organic,” by counting the ordinary water in the Bayliss extracts as the primary “organic” content of the products. This makes a mockery of the fundamental purpose of the NOP, which assures consumers that products claiming organic status are truly at least 70% organic WITHOUT counting water as “organic.” After receiving QAI’s certification under the National Organic Program for food in the summer of 2003, Bayliss Ranch commenced marketing its hydrosol water extracts for use in beverages, sauces, soups and other water-based food products as well as body care products “as the perfect base ingredient in products allowing a certified
organic labeling claim.” (See OCA’s Complaint at www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/links2.cfm)

Currently, an increasing number of brands, such as Avalon Natural Products, JASON, and Nature’s Gate, are misleading consumers into thinking 70% of the ingredients in their products are “organic” (Note: 70% organic content enables a product to make a front panel organic label claim under the National Organic Program.) All these companies are supplied organic hydrosol water extracts by a single supplier, Bayliss Ranch, certified by QAI, the largest organic certifier in the world. Similar to an infusion or tea, which is made by boiling plant material in water, hydrosol water extracts are made by steaming plants, and then cooling the steam back to water. Products made with infusions or teas cannot count the water in such teas or infusions as organic in calculating organic content under NOP food standards. However, it has become distressingly common practice to use “Steam Tea” as the main “organic” ingredient in many products by misleadingly counting the ordinary water in such “Steam Teas” as organic.

The OCA is a grassroots nonprofit organization concerned with food safety, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, fair trade and genetic engineering.

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION · 6101 CLIFF ESTATE ROAD · LITTLE MARAIS, MN 55614 USA
Telephone: 218-226-4164 · 218-353-7652· email: info@organicconsumers.org; www.organicconsumers.org

Holistic Skin Care Producers Association (UK)

The purpose of the Holistic Skin Care Producers Association is to bring together those people who are making skin and hair care products and are concerned that only those ingredients which are beneficial are being used.

The membership fee is just £25.00
To join the Association or to renew your membership, make your cheque or postal order payable to HSCPA.

Louise Sunderland
2 Railway Road. Chorley. PR6 0HW
Tel:01257 410207
Mobile: 07980 643580 or e-mail louisesunderland@yahoo.co.uk

Area Contacts:
London: Marie Pierre Tel: 0208 7612156
North: Christine Scott Tel: 01434 220022
France: Sheila Gray Tel: +33 55301 7301

Holistic Skin Care Producers Association A.G.M.
Saturday, 12th June, Percy Barton House, Fulham, London
AGENDA
10.30—12.00
How to use herbs safely for skin care products.

12.00 - 13.00
Lunch

13.00 - 14.00
Insurance by David Balen

14.00 - 14.30
Marketing your products

Tea Break
14.45 - 15.15

Update on Legal Requirements
by Dr. Roberto Ciaff
15.15 - 15.45

Questions & Feedback
16.00 - 17.00

AGM - All Welcome

Day cost : Members - £5
Non Members £10

For further information contact:
Louise Sunderland Tel : 01257 410207
or Marie Pierre Tel : 0208 7612156
e-mail: marie@pierre2218.freeserve.co.uk

Coming Clean: Organic Body Care Campaign

Don't water down standards for organic cosmetics and organic bodycare products!

On February 18, 2004, The Organic Consumers Association submitted a Formal Complaint to the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) against the company Bayliss Ranch and the certifier Quality Assurance International (QAI), for illegally counting ordinary water in Bayliss Ranch's water extracts as "organic".

This scheme enables Bayliss Ranch's customers--manufacturers of food and body care products for consumers--to make fraudulent claims about their products' being "organic", by counting the ordinary water in the Bayliss extracts as the primary "organic" content of the products. This makes a mockery of the fundamental purpose of the NOP, which is to assure consumers that products claiming organic status on front labels are truly at least 70% organic WITHOUT counting ordinary water as "organic."

See a list of the over 300 body care related businesses who have signed on to endorse this OCA campaign! Thousands of consumers have signed on, as well.

The OCA believes that organic body care standards should mirror organic food standards, which stipulate a mandatory 70 percent minimum weight of non-water/non-salt agricultural organic content in a product for a "Made with Organic Ingredients" label claim to be made on the front panel. This means that:

The OCA believes that organic body care standards should mirror organic food standards, which stipulate a mandatory 70 percent minimum weight of non-water/non-salt agricultural organic content in a product for a "Made with Organic Ingredients" label claim to be made on the front panel. This means that:

· Certified organic agricultural feedstocks are utilized in the manufacture of the key basic cleansing and conditioning ingredients, versus petroleum or conventional feedstocks.
· Manufacture of such ingredients is ecological.
· The toxicity of each ingredient is minimal.
· Non-agricultural water is not counted in any shape or form as contributing to organic content.

SOURCE Organic Consumers Association
Web Site: http://www.organicconsumers.org

Texas Soapmakers Association Plan for their 2004 Convention

Texas Soapmakers Association reports, "The 2004 Convention will be held in Round Rock, just north of Austin, at the Austin Marriott North. July 16-18, 2004
More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Texas Soapmakers Association Elect New President

The Texas Soapmakers Association recently elected local soapmaker and entrepreneur, Cindy Jones, as its 6th president in a statewide election

The Texas Soapmakers Association recently elected soapmaker and entrepreneur, Cindy Jones of Paris, Texas, as its 6th president in a statewide election. Cindy, a charter member of TSA since its inception in 1999 and the 2002 TSA Vice-President, is the owner of Paris Soap Company. She brings to her TSA presidential position, years of family soapmaking tradition and knowledge.

Handcrafted soap is making a revival throughout the United States, with many successful soapmakers working together to introduce and educate the public about the benefits of using handcrafted skin care products.

Here in Texas, the not-for-profit Texas Soapmakers Association was created as an outgrowth of many soapcrafters communicating with each other on the Internet. Eventually, they wanted to meet and share ideas about marketing, advertising, formulas and suppliers, among just a few of the topics. Now, with an ever-growing membership list, TSA’s members range from full-time professional soapmakers to hobbyists, who enjoy making soap for family and friends.

Each year, this association holds a 2 day convention. Next July the 2004 convention will be held in Austin with more than 250 soapmakers, vendors and national speakers in attendance.

Cindy’s current catalog contains a wide variety of luxury handcrafted soaps and products including her grandmother’s Magic Laundry Soap to her own famous Texas Aggie Specialty Bar.

To learn more about the unique group of natural skin care enthusiasts known as the Texas Soapmakers Association, go to www.Txsoapmakers.org.
To get in touch with Cindy of Paris Soap Company, go to www.parissoap.com

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Botanical Elements Members Donate Products and Profits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2004

Glastonbury, CT - February 2004 - Whenever a Botanical Elements Trade Association [BETA] Member business makes a donation of products or profits to a charity or nonprofit organization of their choice, they'll send BETA an email or letter with the amount of their donation and the name of the charity.

Botanical Elements will be keeping a running total of Member Donations for all of 2004 -- and as Member Donation Totals increase -- this will be indicated on their "Charity Donation Thermometer" graphic on the Press Releases web page.

The BETA Member Goal for 2004 $10,000 in donations.

BETA will also publish the entire list of Member participants as well as a "Master List" of charities and nonprofit organizations where donations were sent in six months, and again at the end of the year.

The Botanical Elements Trade Association will also be continuing to feature their Members "Mini-Press Releases". In February they will start to rotate every WEEK, so that every participating Member gets a chance to be at the top of the Press Release web page.

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CONTACT:
Botanical Elements Trade Association TM
P.O. Box 875
Glastonbury, CT 06033

National Registry of Handcrafted Soapmakers

Every Handcrafted Soapmaker who makes or sells soap in the United States is invited to be listed on the National Registry of Handcrafted Soapmakers.
The National Registry of Handcrafted Soapmakers is a project maintained by The Soap Marketplace to recognize the professional status of Handcrafted Soapmakers and to promote the Handcrafted Soapmaking industry. This Registry exists as a free service to the Handcrafted Soapmaking industry, the individual soapmakers making up our Community, and our customers. Membership with The Soap Marketplace is not required.